Sgian for a bet...

[Sean_the_Kilted]

For those of us without a grinder, any suggestions about how to cut and shape a blade as you did with cheap tools? I have access to a wood shop, but there are no metal working tools.

[BEEDEE]

For those of us without a grinder, any suggestions about how to cut and shape a blade as you did with cheap tools? I have access to a wood shop, but there are no metal working tools.

You could try drilling a series of small holes just outside the profile. Then file through two or three holes to get a hacksaw in to cut between the holes to the rough shape. Then file to finish shape.

Brian

[Raptor]

For those of us without a grinder, any suggestions about how to cut and shape a blade as you did with cheap tools? I have access to a wood shop, but there are no metal working tools.

If I wasn't working to a deadline (one of the conditions to the bet!) my preference would have been a hacksaw & files. As the blade in question is fairly thin & stainless steel, I could have got through it with a bit of patience & elbow grease.
The saga continues: The epoxy cost me $3.95, so my total so far is $5.45

The tang fixed into the hilt with a mixture of 2 part epoxy & sawdust. (a couple of chips from the handle off-cuts took care of the slack from the round hole. The hilt has had two coats of carbon black (powdered charcoal from the timber offcuts) mixed with turpentine. Note the vaseline on the blade to keep the epoxy off


The start of the blade recess in the sheath.


The two halves of the sheath setting up to dry (Epoxy again)


Some of the hardwoods I have put aside for the next projects, just to wet some appetites. All is just roughsawn so the pics dont do the timber justice, I've just wet it down with some turps to show as much of the grain as possible):

Fiddleback Redgum


Blackwood


Beefwood (I love this stuff. An extremely hard, dense, desert sheoak, but I wont even be attempting to carve it!)